


the New Alice

by Ryunna



Category: A Witch's Tale (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-08-29
Packaged: 2018-08-11 16:56:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7900576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryunna/pseuds/Ryunna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liddell must accept her role as the ruler of the realm, but how will she cope when she can't even leave this strange place? And will she ever get the confidence to seize what she really desires?</p>
            </blockquote>





	the New Alice

Liddel’s eyes were dull and void as she sat upon her throne.  
“My dear, is there anything you desire?” the Hatter said, twirling his cane in his hands. “Or shall we leave for now?”  
“Bring me Loue,” Liddell said. “I want to see him.”  
The Hatter nodded and tipped his hat, turning away. “Of course.”  
Liddell felt a lump rise up in her throat. It had been a year. A year of sitting in this wretched throne, wandering this cursed land, talking to these cryptic lunatics. The only comfort she had was the occasional visits from the princesses, and, of course, Loue. But lately, he’d declined her invitations and left her alone, sometimes for weeks on end. She hated being Alice.  
“I don’t want this power anymore!” She shrieked, pounding her fists against the throne. “I want Kitty! I want to go home!”  
A deafening silence answered her tantrum, making her even sadder. Tears started to flow down her cheeks. Sobbing, she buried her face into her gloved hands. Was this all there was?  
“You called?”  
Liddell looked up. A familiar cloaked silhouette stepped in front of her and into the light. Loue’s familiar smile calmed her down a little, and she wiped her eyes.  
“What news is there from the kingdoms?” Liddell asked, trying to regain her posture. Loue gave her a look. He knew exactly what she wasn’t saying, how lonely she really was.  
“Gretel sends her greetings, of course,” he started, walking closer to Liddell’s throne. “Oceara’s in a bit of an argument with Artis about land, but other than that… peaceful.” He was standing but a foot away from her now.  
“That’s good, yeah,” Liddell said, looking at her lap. “I have no idea what I’m supposed to be saying. This year’s been so…”  
“Boring?” Loue offered. Liddell smiled and allowed herself to look at his eyes.  
“That’s one way to put it. It’s been… well… different.” Liddell stood up from her throne quickly. “Walk with me, Loue. Just around the forest.”  
For a while they just strolled casually through the realm, the path through the trees well ingrained in both of their minds. Liddell talked about the old days back at school, how different she had been. Loue mostly just listened, sometimes laughed. Soon enough, Liddell was tired.  
“When does this change?” she asked as they started back towards the throne room. “When do I get to actually use my runes, to help the kingdoms? To go back to Lenore?”  
“Liddell…” Loue looked at the ground. “I don’t like saying this, you know that. As far as we know, you can’t leave here.”  
“It’s not fair!” Liddell shouted, throwing her hands up. The lump returned to her throat. “C-can’t I just order Chesh to teleport m-me out of h-here?” she said while containing sobs. “W-why won’t anyone g-give me a straight answer?” she sniffed and, without thinking, grabbed onto Loue’s arm to steady herself. Loue, surprised, reached around to support her.  
“I can’t tell you,” he said, rubbing her back as she cried into his chest. “I barely know myself. But, I promise, if there is a way…” he looked down at her. How old was she? What was it she’d really left behind when she came here? “If there is a way, no matter what, we’ll get you home.”

Liddell woke up in her palace, like the day before, and the day before that. She sat up, yawned, and changed into her purple outfit. There were dresses fitted for her in her closet but she wouldn’t even touch them. She wasn’t Alice, she told herself. This was temporary.  
Even if everyone else said otherwise.  
“Awake I see?” the Cheshire Cat sat on top of her unmade bed, its tail moving gently side to side.  
“Go away, Chesh,” Liddell grumbled, pulling on her socks. “I’m not in the mood for one of your stupid monologues.”  
“Pity that a creature like you is stuck here with creatures like us. You’re about as opposite as opposite can be,” the cat mewled, rolling on the bed. “You belong on the surface, and Alice belongs in your throne. But,”  
“That’s not how it is.” Liddell walked out of her room, cutting off Chesh. “I’m stuck with you weirdos.”  
“I can get you unstuck, my poor Alice,” Chesh called after her. Liddell froze.  
“What did you just say?” She opened up her bedroom door again, looking at the cat who was curled up in her covers.  
“I said, I can return you to the land you arrived from, my dear,” Chesh said, his large erie grin widening. “I’m not sure you’ll like it when we do.”  
“What?” Liddell walked over to the cat, placing her hands on her hips. “And don’t give me some cryptic poem! Tell me what I need to do!”  
The cat closed its eyes and reopened them. “Time waits for no man, and will not speed up for one either. There is only the middle ground.” And with that, he disappeared in his signature cloud of smoke. Liddell, frustrated, threw her blankets off her bed and cursed. She hated these dumb servants so, so much.


End file.
